Yesterday, something magical happened… I managed to have a conversation that lasted longer than 30 minutes. Not just any conversation, mind you, but one that took a glorious 3-hours.
The funny thing is, it didn’t feel like an all-encompassing marathon of ideas, laughter, and brainstorming. There were no grand assertions or emotional embraces. It was just a nice long catchup with someone who I enjoyed being with. It was both special and not that special at the same time (if that’s possible?).
Now, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the efficiency of the 30-minute coffee catch-up. It’s the happy meal of social interaction: quick, familiar, and gets the job done. But let’s be honest, it’s never as good as the picture. You’re no longer hungry, but not exactly satisfied.
Those 3-hour conversations, though? They’re the Michelin dining of the social world. You savor the conversation like a perfectly cooked dish, the interesting questions the amuse-bouche, the exciting possibilities the main course, and dessert is looking forward to your next catch-up.
So, here’s my ambitious goal: by the end of the year I aim to have more 3-hour conversations than 30-minute catch-ups. (Wish me luck, we’re talking literally swimming pools of black tea!)
I’ll ditch the ” gotta run” mentality and embrace the potential of extended conversation. Instead of asking, “How about we connect next week for 3 hours?” I’ll leave ample time after my normal conversations for overflow. If they’re going well, who knows how long they could last!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some strategizing to do. How do I subtly extend a ‘quick coffee chat’ into a conversation worthy of a three-hour epic? Wish me luck!”
About Andy Shannon
